Howorth Containment Solutions for the Pharmaceutical Sector

Howorth’s containment solutions use air engineering to create safe and clean working environments for pharmaceutical organisations.

Infection control solutions for the pharmaceutical industry

Howorth provides containment and infection control solutions to small businesses, blue-chip private companies and the government sector.

The company offers a prototyping service and a full-size mockup for operational ergonomic assessment before the final product is manufactured.

Howorth’s containment solutions and associated documentation meet the relevant European Commission (EC), good manufacturing practices (GMP), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and other global standards.

Downflow booth containment solutions

Howorth’s booths use a unidirectional flow of air, which passes through ceiling-mounted distribution screens to ensure contaminants are carried away from operators and into low-level exhaust grilles.

Recirculatory booths are used for powder operations, clean classification for aseptic environments and once-through booths, which are ideal for solvent or fume vapours.

Engineers will work with clients to develop an airflow containment solution that meets specific requirements. The booths provide enhanced levels of operator and product protection, as well as being customisable to meet specifications.

Booths are flexibly designed and available in various construction materials, including 304/316l stainless-steel and epoxy coated carbon steel.

Howorth specialises in cooling coils and other climatic systems, as well as a wide range of ancillary equipment, including ventilated workbenches, integrated manipulators and drum handling systems.

The company’s designs are suitable for use in explosive environments.

High-containment screens

Howorth produces high-containment screens (HCS) to enhance the capabilities of any downflow booth, such as operations where an air suit or isolator is used.

Howorth’s 5D HCS is a flexible screen that offers four degrees of movement from side-to-side, front-to-back, or up and down with controlled rotation.

Developed in collaboration with existing booth operators, 5D HCS provides unparalleled levels of operator flexibility, making it the ideal solution for a wide range of processes.

The company’s range of screens can be easily integrated within existing booth facilities.

Howorth performs site surveys, design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, as well as site acceptance testing and validation services.

Process equipment for barrier isolator systems

Howorth designs and manufactures isolators that combine containment levels of less than 1μg/m3 with ergonomic and maintenance efficiency.

The company focuses on the interface between the operator and the client’s processes to ensure all production and containment levels are fully achieved.

A full-scale model can be produced that addresses ergonomic aspects and optimum placement of ancillary and process equipment. Modifications can be made before manufacturing.

Howorth integrates process equipment within barrier isolation systems and has worked on various projects with end users and original equipment manufacturers (OEM).

Pack-off heads for boxes and intermediate bulk containers

Pack-off head sealing configurations are available, including outward, downward and inward inflating. The company offer secondary pack-off containment products in the form of booths and isolators.

By using a secondary containment solution, protection can be improved and containment levels of less than 1μg/m3 can be achieved.

Kilo labs and glassware enclosures

Howorth produces modular enclosures with either a horizontal or a vertical system, depending on the application. Localised flow can be provided inside and outside the enclosure for added protection during the loading process.

Solvent and liquid drum booths

Drum booths are designed to provide low parts per million (ppm) containment during solvent or liquid transfer and other handling processes. These include drum-to-drum transfer or drum-to-process reaction vessel.

Booths are available in different materials, including stainless-steel or polypropylene for added corrosion resistance.

Using a high-efficacy, 35% H2O2 solution, VHP-U™ creates a biocidal vapour that is easily contained and safely decomposed to water and oxygen at the end of each cycle, with no residues or odours requiring secondary clean up.

The BioGen™ Duo uses open access H2O2 and Howorth Air Technology does not insist on supplying branded indicators, which reduces your cost of ownership and allows you to choose which consumable supplier to source from.

The unique Wi-Fi enabled tablet for control and data handling allows step-by-step guided operation. With a range of up to 20m from the BioGen™ unit, the Wi-Fi tablet manages the various cycle set points and phase parameters, and records important data, giving you optimal flexibility in the way you manage your biodecontamination regime.

The simple operation of the BioGen™ Duo means that it is easy to use with minimal training. Therefore, expert personnel are not required for operation. It also has very simple health and safety guidelines.

Incorporating the latest technology for validation and requalification, Enzyme Indicators, the unique design of BioGen™ Duo allows you to reach optimum cycle performance quickly and efficiently.

About Howorth

Through its acquisition of leading UK filtration company Westbury Filtermation, Howorth offers a range of filter products designed for use in containment systems.

Solutions include pre-filters, high efficiency filters, HEPA and ULPA products that are engineered to meet specific requirements of containment systems.

Howorth's standard downflow booth modules are 1m and 1.3m pods to make a combination of booth widths. They are available with two different depth containment zones (1.8m and 2.2m), and booths are future proofed due to the Howorth modular design.

Sterility testing of pharmaceutical products is a mandatory requirement when bringing a drug to market and assessing longer term safety. There are various options for manufacturers to facilitate this process. The most convenient way is to contract out to a good manufacturing practice (GMP) certified laboratory.